"Thank you ! Did we all read "Giovanni's Room" when we were teens ... and were slightly baffled and taken ?? Now I'm curious .. about this movie" - Martin

"We don’t deserve something this beautiful in 2018..." - Margaret

"I thought it was a terrific, lovely film but with some flaws. I don't think the voiceovers work well in the film and nor was it necessary since the film was already so infused with Baldwin's voice. " - Raul

The Finalists That Didn't Make it to a Coveted Nomination: BLACKFISH was the most surprising given its box office success and how many people talk about it. STORIES WE TELL was saddest, since it's great but they rarely go for documentaries that push the form. Also: GOD LOVES UGANDA, WHICH WAY IS THE FRONT LINE FROM HERE, THE ARMSTRONG LIE, FIRST COUSIN ONCE REMOVED, TIM'S VERMEER, LIFE ACCORDING TO SAM, THE CRASH REEL, PUSSY RIOT: A PUNK PRAYER

High Profile Eliminations

Some key titles from the 151 long finalist list that didn't make it to this cutThe Missing Picture, Leviathan, At Berkeley, After Tiller, Call Me Kuchu, Generation Iron, Is the Man Who is Tall Happy?, Muscle Schoals,Blood Brother and The Unknown Known

a neo nazi and his gay victim reunite 25 years after a brutal attack on a journey of forgiveness

Finalists that were not nominated: RECOLLECTIONS (Japan) on Tsunami victims and temporary housing, JUJUITSING REALITY (USA) about a screenwriter with Lou Gehrig's disease, and SLOMO (USA) about a neurophysicist abandoning his former life

The documentary committee viewed 40 qualifying shorts (long list names - does anyone have them?) before drawing up this list of 8 finalists. Up to 5 can be nominated on January 16th. Curiously many of them are debut efforts and biographies are hot this year.